| QUESTIONS | ANSWERS |
|---|---|
| What is this chemical? | Titanium, sometimes called the “space age metal”, is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant (including to sea water and chlorine) metal with a silver color. |
| What is its purpose? | Titanium can be alloyed with iron, aluminum, among other elements, to produce strong lightweight alloys.
About 95% of titanium ore extracted from the Earth is destined for refinement into titanium dioxide, an intensely white permanent pigment |
| Where is it found? |
|
HEALTH CONCERNS Is this chemical a carcinogen?
Titanium dioxide dust, when inhaled, has recently been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as an IARC Group 2B carcinogen possibly carcinogenic to humans. Artists who use Titanium pigments should take precautions to avoid breathing the paint fumes.
The findings of the IARC are based on the discovery that high concentrations of pigment-grade (powdered) and ultrafine titanium dioxide dust caused respiratory tract cancer in rats exposed by inhalation and intratracheal instillation.
The series of biological events or steps that produce the rat lung cancers (e.g. particle deposition, impaired lung clearance, cell injury, fibrosis, mutations and ultimately cancer) have also been seen in people working in dusty environments. Therefore, the observations of cancer in animals were considered, by IARC, as relevant to people doing jobs with exposures to titanium dioxide dust.
For example, titanium dioxide production workers may be exposed to high dust concentrations during packing, milling, site cleaning and maintenance, if there are insufficient dust control measures in place.
How can it affect me? Solid Titanium is non-toxic even in large doses and does not play any natural role inside the human body. Are there controversial issues?
It should be noted that the human studies conducted so far do not suggest an association between occupational exposure to titanium dioxide and an increased risk for cancer. The safety of the use of these nanoparticles, which can penetrate the body and reach internal organs, has been criticized. Studies have also found that titanium dioxide nanoparticles cause genetic damage in mice, suggesting that humans may be at risk of cancer or genetic disorders resulting from exposure.
Related posts:
